Cpap pillow apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

A CPAP pillow relies on a shell shaped to provide large reservoirs of fill particles near or against the shoulders of a user and around and under the neck. The system and method uncouple the spring forces supporting a user from the forces used to configure the shape of the pillow in use. Thus, a user can fit the pillow to the body profile in three dimensions with substantially no residual pre-loading to cause discomfort, pressure points, or unsupported regions. The pillow supports, contacts, and cradles the head and neck. It accommodates shoulder intrusion without moving the pillow away from supporting the neck.

BACKGROUND 1. The Field of the Invention

This invention relates to sleeping apparatus and, more particularly, tonovel systems and methods for making and using specialty pillows andadjustable pillow for supporting the body during sleep.

2. The Background Art

Pillows are used during sleep both for comfort and for positioning thehead or other bodily member in desired orientations. In the womb and fora period of time after birth, a baby's spine is shaped like a letter C.As the baby develops, secondary curves known as Lordotic develop in thecervical and lumbar regions. These curves continue to develop untilgrowing ceases. In normal spines four types of spinal curvatures whichimportant to balance, flexibility, and stress absorption anddistribution. The position of the cervical curvature is particularlyimportant in sleep and maintaining the airway open during sleep.Obstruction of the airway during sleep results in snoring and sleepapnea.

One purpose of therapeutic pillows is to position a person's head so asto prevent obstruction of the airway, particularly in the treatment ofsnoring and mild sleep apnea. Sleep apnea refers to a variety ofconditions and syndromes characterized by periods of the temporarycessation of breath, also called apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) refers to apnea syndromes caused primarilyby the collapse of the upper airway during sleep. The sleep pattern ofan OSA sufferer is characterized by repeated sequences of snoring,breathing difficulty, lack of breathing, waking enough to resumebreathing and returning to sleep. Often the sufferer is not consciouslyaware of the sleep disorder. OSA patients usually experience symptomscharacteristic of sleep deprivation such as severe drowsiness,irritability, functional and mental limitations, etc.

The symptoms of snoring and sleep apnea are generally worse for affectedpeople when sleeping in the supine position (lying on the back). In thisposition, gravity causes the jaw, mandible, tongue muscle, and/or uvula,to move downward, any or all of which may restrict or block the airway.During periods of apnea, breathing ceases and carbon dioxide accumulatesin the bloodstream until the central nervous system becomes sufficientlyaroused to clear any obstructions. This cycle may repeat hundreds oftimes in a night for apnea victims. Various pillows using positionalmeans, particularly support of the cervical curvature, attempt toprevent snoring or sleep apnea.

In the case of OSA, a number of medical and surgical treatment optionsexist. A preferred method of treatment is referred to as ContinuousPositive Airway Pressure (CPAP) and other similar devices such as“variable” and “bi-directional” positive airway pressure (collectivelyreferred to as “CPAP”). The effectiveness of this treatment is welldocumented. CPAP treatment is a common ameliorative treatment forbreathing disorders including OSA. CPAP treatment, as described in U.S.Pat. No. 4,944,310, incorporated herein by reference, providespressurized air or other breathable gas to the entrance of the patient'sairway at a pressure elevated above atmospheric pressure. Thepressurized air supplied to the patient effectively assists the musclesto keep the patient's airway open, eliminating typical OSA sleeppatterns.

NIPPV is another form of treatment for breathing disorders which caninvolve a relatively higher pressure of gas being provided in thepatient mask during the inspiratory phase of respiration and arelatively lower pressure or atmospheric pressure being provided in thepatient mask during the expiratory phase or respiration.

Typically, the ventilatory assistance for CPAP or NIPPV treatment isdelivered to the patient by way of a nasal mask. Alternatively, a mouthmask or full face mask or nasal prongs are used. In this specification,any reference to CPAP treatment is to be understood as embracing all ofthe above described forms of ventilatory treatment or assistance.

Breathable gas supply apparatus broadly comprise a flow generatorconstituted by a continuous source of air or other breathable gasgenerally in the form of a flower or driven by an electric motor. Theelectric motor driving the blower is typically controlled by aservo-controller under the control of a micro controller unit. Ahospital piped supply can also be used. The gas supply is connected to aconduit or tube, which in turn is connected to a patient mask whichincorporates, or has in close proximity, an exhaust to atmosphere forventing exhaled gases.

Typically, the blower and humidifier are separate components connectedvia a flexible conduit. An air delivery conduit connects the humidifieroutlet to a patient interface mask. Alternatively, the blower andhumidifier may be rigidly connected together. Air from the blower outletpasses into the humidifier inlet where it is humidified and then passesto the air delivery conduit.

CPAP (and NIPPV) treatment is generally delivered by a mask thatinterfaces with the patient's nose (nasal mask). One consideration inCPAP treatment is the issue of maintaining the seal between the mask andthe patient's face. Whenever that seal is broken, such as throughmovement during sleep and contact with the patient's pillow, pressurizedair from the breathing circuit is lost.

Conventional sleeping pillows made with resilient and pre-loadedmaterials present problems because the weight of the patient's headcauses the pillow in the area of the head to be depressed, leaving thesurrounding surface of the pillow to push, unweighted, to a levelrelatively higher than the head. This results in increased contactbetween the pillow areas around the patient's therapeutic mask,particularly in side and stomach sleeping positions.

Pillows are of general shapes that have existed for millennia. Moreover,the fill materials and shapes of pillows tend to be traditional. Forexample, throw pillows may be arbitrarily shaped and covered, and areprimarily used for decoration. They may or may not have functionalutility. Meanwhile, sleeping pillows are of a typical shape, primarilyflat rectangular sheets sewn together. Corners represent a narrowing ofcross sectional area as a top surface, meets a bottom surface, while theshared edges come to a theoretical point.

For example, a conventional pillow, may be represented, before filling,by two flat surfaces. These are typically portions of a single sheet ofmaterial, folded and sewn or otherwise secured on all sides, that is, atall four edges. Because the material is a single sheet, the seamstypically cover three edges, and the fourth is simply a continuousconjoined edge as a result of the fabric itself.

Pillows may be stuffed with a variety of fillings. Typical, or the mostcommon, are synthetic fibers formed as batting. Likewise, some pillowsare filled with air, some with shaped or chopped foam, such as latex,urethane, or other polymeric foam. This is sometimes referred to asexpanded polymer material. The most common materials, before the adventof synthetic batting fibers and synthetic foams were natural materials.Natural materials include cotton, straw, feathers, down, and the like.

Pillows, typically, are filled to “overflowing.” That is, a pillow caseis completely filled with material, and the material is under a certaininitial compression. Thus, the pillow will tend to fluff-up and fill-outthe pillow case or the cover around the pillow filling material. Thisgives a pillow a suitable appearance. Likewise, it provides a certainamount of support by virtue of the amount of fill, and its initial forceor pressure.

However, a pillow is actually “pre-loaded” such that a certain amount offorce is required before the pillow begins to make any appreciabledisplacement or deflection. By the same token, the amount of pre-load,the amount of force or pressure due to initial deflection, is a functionof overfilling and initial displacement. The rate of deflection withrespect to a particular force may be used to characterize a pillow.

A fully resilient pillow is problematic in certain circumstances. One ofthose circumstances is a user wearing a facial apparatus such ascontinuous positive airway pressure machine or CPAP. Having a resilientpillow means that the pillow will always provide a resistance tocompression. The more compression, the more resistance exists.

When a user is trying to sleep, and trying to move freely in sleep, auser may lie on the back, may lie on the side, may lie on the stomach,and may position the head in a variety of positions accordingly. Havinga CPAP extending the profile of the face provides both an area and aleverage distance for the pillow to push at the CPAP mask. It is notuncommon for a resilient pillow to break a CPAP mask free from the faceof a user. Thus opening the seal that should exist between the CPAP maskand the face of the user renders the CPAP machine ineffective.

Even in matters of comfort alone, it is not uncommon for a resilientpillow, to have its shape and resilience predominantly dictated by itsmanufacturing. It cannot respond to a user's comfort by being adjustablein profile, thickness, supporting force, and the like about the head,neck and shoulders of a user. Likewise, a pillow applied to anothermember body, such as to support a leg, lumbar region of the back, or thelike may also present discomfort at “pressure points.” These result dueto the wide range in support pressure at various locations and the lackof a “profile match” between the shape of the body and the shape of thepillow. This is particularly true when combined with the specificresilience or spring force and resulting pressure presented by aresilient pillow pressing on any particular “projection” of the bodypart selected.

Thus, reliable shapes, fill amounts, and support where needed are simplynot available in conventional pillows. Even the best developedgranular-fill materials have proven inadequate. Attempts have been madeto snap down or restrict certain areas of the pillows in order to limitthe migration of granular materials. These have still provenun-satisfactory. They are initially too hard, do not profile the body,and result in loss of support due to fill migration.

What is needed is a pillow that presents no initial pre-load or pressureto fit a bodily profile of a user, regardless of position and in spiteof a CPAP mask. What is also needed is a pillow that will naturallymigrate materials to the desired location in response to naturalmovement of a user. Likewise, it would be beneficial to have a granularmaterial that is movable and adjustable directly by a user. However,once the material has been adjusted, it would be an advance in the artto provide a structure for a pillow and a shape thereof along with amethod of use in which the continued use of the pillow during a night ofsleep would tend to promote the continued proper distribution of thefill material into the right locations to support the supported profileshape, and its maintenance at those locations.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, in accordance with the invention as embodiedand broadly described herein, a method and apparatus are disclosed inone embodiment of the present invention as including a pillow and methodof adjusting a pillow. The method includes providing a shell having atop panel, a bottom panel, a first wall panel connected to both, and asecond wall panel opposite the first wall panel and connected to the topand bottom panels. A barrier is formed at a connection between the firstwall panel and the top panel and between the first wall panel and thebottom panel. First and second end panels are each fixed to the top,bottom, first wall, and second wall panels. First and second retreatregions are formed by the top, bottom, and first wall, at theconnections thereof with the first and second end panels, respectively.With a first quantity of fill and instructions, a user begins byselecting a second quantity of the fill, opening the shell and pouringinto the shell that second quantity of fill selected. Thereafter,migrating substantially the entire second quantity of fill toward thefirst wall panel is accomplished by grasping the pillow away from thefirst wall panel and lifting and shaking, resulting in free falling ofthe second quantity of fill material.

Laying the bottom panel on a sleeping surface a user may adjust thelocation of the fill, forming relief regions by moving portions of thefill therefrom. Applying force to the second quantity through the toppanel will flow at least a portion of the fill by disengaging thegranules thereof from one another. Tapping, poking, patting, or othermeans of applying repeated force and dislodgement will urge fill awayfrom a relief region and toward the retreat regions. After forming adesired profile in the pillow, a user may nestle in by placing the headand neck of a user in the relief region and moving a panel down, backand forth, or both. Once the fill fits the bodily profile it willsupport the head and neck with a substantially uniform pressure exertedby the granules through the top surface.

This system benefits from uncoupling mechanical vibration of fill fromthe outermost layer proximate a user to deaden sound and reduceinitiation thereof. Granules of buckwheat hulls, having projectionsacting as springs and engaging one another between adjacent granulesprovide stability. A quilted, cellularized cover bridges the projectionsto provide a smooth, comfortable surface without abrasion from the fill.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing features of the present invention will become more fullyapparent from the following description and appended claims, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that thesedrawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are,therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the inventionwill be described with additional specificity and detail through use ofthe accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an end top quarter perspective view of one embodiment of anapparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end top quarter perspective view of an apparatus inaccordance with the invention as illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a left end elevation view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a right end elevation view of the apparatus of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is the opposite side elevation view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a front end quarter perspective view of a cut-awayrepresentation of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a partial, cross-sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 inan embodiment involving a partial fill in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 11 is an end cross-sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 beingprepared for use by urging all of the limited fill material toward oneside thereof;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in use asadjusted for a back-sleeping configuration;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the apparatus of FIGS. 1-2 arranged ina partially-filled configuration as adjusted to implement side-sleepingsupport;

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is a top plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 13, that is,arranged in the sleeping configuration for side sleeping as in FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a series of end cross-sectional views of the apparatus ofFIGS. 12 and 14.

FIG. 17 is a sequence of end cross-sectional views of the apparatus ofFIG. 1 as arranged and configured in the arrangement of FIGS. 13 and 15;

FIG. 18 is a series of end cross-sectional views of the apparatus ofFIG. 1 arranged for a stomach-sleeping arrangement;

FIG. 19 is a series of side cross-sectional views of the arrangement ofFIGS. 13, 15, and 17;

FIG. 20 is a series of side cross-sectional views of the arrangement ofFIGS. 12, 14, and 16;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of one alternative embodiment of anaccessory for use in accordance with the invention arranged for lumbarsupport use;

FIG. 22 is a schematic block diagram of a process for making and usingan apparatus in accordance with FIGS. 1-21; and

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a fill material, abuckwheat hull suitable for filling an apparatus in accordance with oneembodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

It will be readily understood that the components of the presentinvention, as generally described and illustrated in the drawingsherein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of differentconfigurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of theembodiments of the system and method of the present invention, asrepresented in the drawings, is not intended to limit the scope of theinvention, as claimed, but is merely representative of variousembodiments of the invention. The illustrated embodiments of theinvention will be best understood by reference to the drawings, whereinlike parts are designated by like numerals throughout.

A fundamental problem with pillows is found in the exact reason theyexist. A pillow is a supporting member. A pillow may be used behind theback supporting the user in a sitting position, such as reading in bed.Likewise, a pillow may be used to elevate the head, neck, shoulders,feet, or the like. Thus, pillows represent support members. Some peopleprefer a very stiff pillow that maintains its shape. Others prefer apillow that is softer, responding more to the weight placed thereon.

Pillows typically represent a couple of characteristics that aredesirable and relied upon in used. Those two characteristics are thevolume and resilience. Resilience is technically defined as theeffective spring constant. According to Hooke, as represented byHookes's Law, a resilient or spring-like material deflects or displacesin direct proportion to the force applied. Thus, a spring may bestretched or may be compressed at a ratio of force to displacementrepresented by a constant value. In other words, the force of resistanceof a spring is directionally proportional to the distance the spring hasbeen compressed (F=−kx) or stretched (moved from its equilibrium orunloaded position).

Accordingly, that constant (k) representing the relationship betweenforce (F) and displacement (x) represents a characterization of thestiffness of any spring. Thus, down, feathers, batting, and foam may becharacterized according to their effective spring constants. Forexample, down tends to be comparatively soft. That is, it will deflector compress with less force or at a higher rate, with respect to a givenforce, than will feathers. Likewise, foam may be made in a variety ofgrades, any particular grade engineered to develop a certain amount ofresistive or resilient force in response to the application of aparticular load. Likewise, batting presents a certain resistance todisplacement, characterized by such a relationship.

Materials exist, such as plastic pellets, grains, and other granularmaterials that have a particularly high resilience when placed incompression. As a granular material most do not represent permanenteffective resilience. For example, a bean bag, such as used in games, ora grain bag, such as those preheated for comfort and applied to a memberof the body present, comparatively high stiffness as to each individualgrain. Each individual grain tends to present substantial resistanceagainst deflection.

On the other hand, two grains, with respect to one another, may move,thus responding to motion or force by changing locations. Once thelocation is changed, certain grains or pellets will have dropped to alower level than they previously held. In the presence of gravity, thosegrains will not rise back to their previous locations. Thus, theirdisplacement becomes permanent, and without the permanent resilience orpermanent spring loading that may be present in conventional pillowmaterials.

However, such granular or non-fibrous fill materials for pillows stillpresent other problems. They do not reconstitute. Their materials shiftpermanently. Moreover, when those materials shift locations, they do notprovide the support in either thickness nor force present in theirprevious, unmoved locations. On the one hand, this may be a good thing.On the other hand, this represents a problem in control.

Another difficulty with conventional pillows is that their shape tendsto promote a certain inclined shape when filled with a fibrous bat. Thatis, bats, being mechanically interconnected fibers, tend to operate inconcert. The pressure of shoulders on the edge of a pillow tends toreduce the entire pillow to an incline progressing from the lowest pointunder the shoulders near the edge of pillow to a highest point furtheraway. Thus, the neck remains effectively uncontacted and unsupportedwhen the shoulders weight an edge of the pillow.

Similarly, if the shoulders do not weight any part of the pillow, thenthe neck rests near the edge of the pillow, at the lowest and thinnestpart of the pillow. This provides very little support, and often nosupport. Meanwhile the head represents a protrusion down into thepillow. Yet, the head sits on the “high ground” at the thickest part ofthe pillow. Thus pillow support is effectively the opposite of what itneeds to be.

For example, the neck needs support at its position, which is actuallyhigher (away from a line between head and shoulders) than the back ofthe head would be in a lying position. Meanwhile, the head, which needsmore of a recess or more of a relief position and a lower or thinnersupport material, is given the opposite instead, the thickest part ofthe pillow.

Even when one deals with down, which is less fibrous, the problemspersist despite not having a continuous mechanical link across theentire width of a pillow between down tufts. The problem is notremediated, for example, with down pillows. Forces may be less, butstill persistent. Fill tends to be complete, even though a user maypunch the pillow or shake it in order to rearrange the volume.Nevertheless, the fundamental shape of a pillow as two sheets bound onfour edges still tends to keep the center overfilled, with corners andedges as the thinnest parts of the pillow, simply because they can holdonly what their volume will tolerate. Even if one goes to the materialssuch as a bean bag or a grain bag, the shape of the pillow results inless material near the edges, and a substantially less material in allcorners.

The volume of a cube, for example, is the length of a side raised to thethird power (S³). The volume of a sphere is four-thirds the physicalconstant pi multiplied by the third power of the radius of thecontaining cube (4/3 Π r³). Thus, one sees that a sphere containseffectively half the volume of a cube having the same maximum side. Thatis, a cube having a side length of S encompasses twice the volume of asphere having a diameter equal to that same value of S. Similarly, acone represents about a quarter of the volume of a rectangle having thesame maximum dimensions. Thus, corners of a pillow contain substantiallyless material than would be contained in a box of the same size.

A sleeping pillow may not generally be made in a box shape. Such wouldbe very uncomfortable. Cushions for couches may typically support theirtop surfaces in a substantially planar orientation. Also, edge supportis comparatively stiff to maintain the shape and support weight of anentire person. Applicant knows of no system in which a sleeping pillowfor the head of a user has a parallelepiped (e.g. rectangular axialcross-section) shape.

Meanwhile, a fill material comprising granular materials such asbuckwheat hulls has its own problems. Put in the shape of a conventionalpillow, a buckwheat hull fill material migrates unacceptably. Attemptsto control that migration have been limited by, among other things, theconventionality of the basic shape of a pillow, two sheets bound ontheir four shared edges. This results in corners that contain only aboutone-quarter of the volume per projected unit of area of the top surface.That is, were an individual to measure the volume of the corners of astuffed pillow, they would include only about one-quarter of the volumeof a parallelepiped having the same maximum dimensions.

Referring to FIG. 1-9, while referring generally to FIGS. 1-23, asupport 10 or pillow 10 in accordance with the invention may include aframe 12 or a frame portion 12. The frame 12 may be provided with asuitable attachment mechanism, such as sewing or the like, to attach atop 14 or top material 14 and a bottom 16, a bottom material 16 orbottom portion 16 of the pillow 10. In the illustrated embodiment, thepillow may include a closure 18, selectively openable and closable inorder to provide access to the interior of the pillow 10.

For example, in one embodiment, the closure 18 may be permanent andformed of stitching, clamps, buttons, or the like. In other embodiments,the closure 18 may be more readily openable, such as a zipper, ahook-and-loop fastener such as Velcro™ fastener, or the like. Typically,the frame 12, as well as the top 14 and bottom 16, may be fabricated ofa suitable material 20, such as a fabric 20 having suitable bendingflexibility, as well as suitable strength stiffness, and the like “inplane.”

In certain embodiments, a non-woven fabric may serve as the material 20.In other embodiments, a woven fabric, whether of synthetic or naturalmaterials may be used to form the portions 12, 14, 16, of the pillow 10.In one embodiment, the material 20 such as a fabric 20 may be providedwith seams 22 providing texture. Similarly, the frame 12, top 14, andbottom 16 may be secured to one another structurally by other seams 24.

In the illustrated embodiment, the texture seams 22 may form thematerial 20 into cells 26. By virtue of the constrictions provided bythe seams 22, the material 20 may alternately contain thick portions andthin portions according to a fill within the material 20, or capturedbetween layers of the materials 20 in order to form the cells 26. Thus,the texture seams 22 result in an undulating assembly of cells 26 thatprovide texture for multiple purposes.

The pillow 10 may be provided with one of various types of fill 28. Inone presently contemplated embodiment, the fill may be a quantity ofhulls, such as buckwheat hulls. Buckwheat hulls have a unique shapeproviding a certain amount of resilience, a certain resistance to flow,but yet a discrete granular character that does permit flowing orpouring in order to properly make and use a pillow 10 in accordance withthe invention.

Referring to FIG. 9, while continuing to refer generally to FIGS. 1-23,the fill 28 may be impeded in its free flow about the interior of thepillow 10 by virtue of barriers 30 formed of the material 20 when sewntogether by the structural seams 24. The barriers 30 may be formed tohave to a particular length, stiffness, and thickness selected toprovide a mechanical barrier 30 resisting movement thereagainst by thefill material 28. Other resistance comes from texturing and interlockingof hulls with one another.

Referring to FIGS. 10-11, while continuing to refer generally to FIGS.1-23, the material 20 may be formed of top and bottom layers, filledwith a batting 22 therebetween. The functions of batting 32 aremultiple. Every child has been told that placing a sea shell to the earpermits one to hear the ocean roar. It has been found that use ofmaterials such as hulls, and other naturally stiff and thin materialsresults in an inordinate amount of sound originated by and propagatedthrough the material 20 covering the pillow.

Likewise, it has been found that the use of materials that areunconventional as a fill material 28, such as particles havingprojections, results in projection of the shapes of those fill materials28 into the material 20. These projections provide a comparativelycourse and rough texture through and, therefore along the surface of,the material 20. The material 20 needs to be granular, discrete, andneeds to have its various thin plate-like shapes. Those shapes providedesired resilience, as well as to provide a certain resistance tomotion. Those same projecting shapes result in literally scratching orabrading the face of a user employing a pillow made in accordance withconventional construction techniques.

Therefore, one of the purposes of the batting 32 is to provide a certainselected thickness between the layers of the material 20. This thicknesstends to remove the texture that would otherwise appear on the surfaceof the material 20 in response to the discrete shapes of the fillmaterial 28. Batting 22 also provides filling between projections.Batting also provides structural stiffness in the material 20, resistingbending. This resistance to bending tends to cause the material 20 tospan across the distance between projections, thus eliminating theinfluence thereof outside the pillow 10.

The batting also provides sound deadening by virtue of its distance,thickness, softness, material selection, and mechanical disruption ofthe mechanical path to the ear. For example, sound travels through theair. Sound will likewise travel through materials. When the fillmaterial 28 is touching directly the outermost layer of the material 20,then the fill 28 provides a rough and scratchy texture that willliterally cause discomfort or skin irritation.

Likewise, when the fill material 28 is exposed directly to the outermostlayer of the material 20, such as in a single-layer top 14, then thesound of the fill material 28 rubbing against the material 20 istransmitted directly to the material 20. The material 20, such as afabric, then operates like a speaker broadcasting sound into the ears ofa user. This proximity provides a substantial amplification over whatsuch a sound would be when otherwise presented to ear of a user. Allthese sound generation, amplification, and transmission properties arereduced by the batting 22 construction. Deadening, spacing, mechanicalisolation, and the like reduce generation propagation, and proximity ofsound to a user.

A third function of the batting 32 is to provide the texturing, whenused in combination with the texture seams 22, applied to make the cells26 in the material 20. By providing two layers in the material 20, withan intervening layer of batting 32, the seams 22 create a series ofconcavities 34. Those concavities are found to provide additionalstability or resistance to movement when entered by the fill material28, such as buckwheat hulls.

For example, a combination of concavity 34 to receive certain amounts ofthe material 28 filling the pillow 10 results in a resistance to flow.Accordingly, a container of the fill material 28 being discrete modulesor pieces of material, such as buckwheat hulls, may be poured when notcompressed. Nevertheless, the hulls interlock with each other and theconcavities 34 pressured against the bottom 16 of the pillow 10, or whenthe top 14 is pressed against the fill material 28. The concavities 34receive a certain amount of the fill material 28, and resist its motionalong the surface thereon. Thus, like furrows, the concavities 34 at theedges of each of the cells 26 provide a resistance to flow, thus furthermaintaining the fill material 28 where it is placed by a user.

As the fill material 28 may attempt to slide with respect to the cells26 or the material 20 forming the cells 26, the concavities 34 crossingits path limit that motion mechanically. The top 14 of the pillow 10,partially filled with the fill material 28, such as hulls 28, willlikewise be placed against the fill material 28 under the pressure andmovement of a portion of the body, such as the head or neck. As thematerial 20 or the cells 26 formed in the material 20 are pressedagainst the fill material 28, then any force along 40 or in a direction40 substantially parallel to the material 20 results in the same effecton the hulls 28 or other fill material 28 being trapped within theconcavities 34 formed by adjacent cells 26. Thus, the movement along 40or in the direction parallel of 40 to the surface of the material 20tends to capture the hulls and resist the sliding motion, above thefriction that would exist between the material 20 itself and the fillmaterial 28.

Thus, in one embodiment in accordance with the invention portions of theshell of the pillow 10, including the frame 12, the top 14, and thebottom 16, may be formed of a material 20 formed into cells 26. Cells 26may provide concavities 36 at texture seams 22 trapping the flutes ofhulls/and securing a batting 32 between multiple layers of fabricforming the material 20.

In general, as sound 36 propagates in an outward direction 38, it mustbe propagated as vibration through air, directly from the hulls. Hullshave a substantially different frequency of vibration than does thematerial 20. The material 20 may typically be formed of a woven fabric.The hulls are substantially a solid, high-frequency resonant material.

Thus, the batting 32 can be very effective, and has been found veryeffective, in isolating the frequency of motion or frequency of soundgeneration in the fill material 28. Batting 32 has been found tolikewise isolate the generation of sound by rubbing of the fill material28 against the material 20, effectively reducing sound generation anddamping sound propagation. Thus, the pillow 10 operates much morequietly as a result of the constructions of the cells 26, the batting32, and the resulting mechanical isolation. Accordingly, sound 36 or asound wave 36 originating from the fill material 28 must pass throughintervening air.

This mechanical isolation provided by having multiple layers of thematerial 20, and an intervening layer of batting 32 provides both spaceand mechanical isolation. Isolation to reduce the amount of sound 36generated by the fill material 28 rubbing against the material 20.Isolation also reduces sound from propagating from the fill material 28,into the material 20. It thus limits any response to hulls scratchingthe material 20 causing it to act as a speaker diaphragm.

A user may tap or pat the top 14, the bottom 16, or the frame 12 in adirection downward 44, upward 42, or a direction along 40 the fabric 20.In general uncompressed granular fill 28 may be urged or shakenlaterally, uncompressed transversely, at 90° or at any other angle withrespect to the up 42 and down direction 44. The force of tapping orpatting may typically have the effect of redistributing the fillmaterial 28, such as hulls 28. The result of tapping down 44 on aportion of the fill material 28 with the flat of a hand, the edge of ahand, a fist, or the like, is to apply a force tending to move the hulls28 or other fill material 28 away from the point of impact. Thus, a usermay form a hollow in the top 14 or any of the particular sides (e.g.,panels, portions) of the frame 12. This results in a change of shape toaccommodate a desire for a relief region (e.g., indentation) lackingfill material 28 or an adjacent buildup of a support region requiringfill material 28.

Near the frame 12 of the pillow 10, the direction 40 along orsubstantially parallel 40 to the surface of the material 20 has asimilar but more pronounced effect. The barriers 30 operate to furtherrestrict movement of granular fill material 28. In the illustratedembodiment it has been found that the presence of the barriers 30substantially maintains the shape of the frame 12 and top 14 withrespect to the bottom 16 of the pillow 10 in use.

In general, it has been found that the barriers 30 tend to resistmovement of the fill material 28 in a direction 40 along the material 20enclosing it. Likewise, it has been found that the concavities 34 formedin the material 20 by virtue of the texture seams 22 also tend to add adegree of resistance to movement of the fill material 28 along thesurface of the material 20. As a practical matter, the particulatenature of the fill material 28 renders it less likely that the fillmaterial 28 can bridge the concavities 34 to slide with respect to thematerial 20. Such sliding and bridging would be the case with batting orother conventional fill materials.

Referring to FIG. 11, notwithstanding the comparative stabilizinginfluence of the barriers 30, the wall portion 12 or the frame 12 of thepillow 10 may be caused to extend in a more-or-less circularcross-sectional configuration, rather than in a straight line. Forexample, when suspended as illustrated in FIG. 11, the pillow 10 maytypically be only half filled with the fill material 28. This percentageor fraction of fill experienced by the pillow 10 is selectable by auser.

In a typical embodiment, the fill material 28 flow and adjustmentbenefits from having additional space into which it may flow. A particleof a granular fill material 28 will readily fall under the unmitigatedinfluence of gravity. However, once the pillow 10 is laid on the bottomsurface 16, the tendency of granules of buckwheat hulls to movelaterally is substantially decreased. For example, in free fall, theparticulate material 28 used as fill material 28 effectively can freefall to the lowest permissible point.

However, other designed forces within the material 20 of the frame 12top 14, and bottom 16 will tend to operate together to contain the“pressure” represented by the weight of a user on the quantity of thefill material 28 enclosed therewithin. Once the pillow 10 is laid on thebottom 16, in the orientation of FIG. 10, the particles of the fillmaterial 28 are no longer in free fall. Instead, each containsextensions or flutes projecting in three directions that tend to engagethe corresponding flutes or extensions of other particles. Accordingly,a certain stability exists due to the interaction between the particlesand requires a threshold force to displace particles.

An individual may add energy by tapping, patting, hitting, punching, orotherwise shifting the particles of the fill material 28 about theinterior volume of the pillow 10. Nevertheless, under the influence ofgravity, a limited and comparatively stable distribution of theparticles of the fill material 28 occurs upon laying the pillow down ona supporting surface. Thus, a supporting surface onto which the bottom16 of the pillow 10 is placed will support the pillow 10 with a force 44or an upward direction 42.

Meanwhile, the individual particles of the fill material 28 will exert aforce downward 44 or a downward 44 force against the bottom 16, andagainst one another as well. Movement and a lateral force in a direction46 in response to forces in the upward 42 and downward 44 directions isresisted to a certain extent by the interaction between the extensionson the particles of the fill material 28.

Upon application by a user of a downward force 44 against the top 14 ofthe pillow 10, two principal influences exist. To a certain extent, theextensions, on the particles of the fill material 28 tend to interlockand resist lateral movement in response to force in the downwarddirection 44. By the same token, application of more pressure or force,particularly if applied by repeatedly striking, may provide dislodgementof the particles with respect to one another. This permits aredistribution of the fill material 28. Thus, in a pillow 10 inaccordance with the invention, a degree of control over distribution ofthe fill material 28 may be substantial.

An additional benefit to a pillow 10 in accordance with the presentinvention is the availability of the fill material 28 to refill andsupport the fill material 28 under and around the supported bodilymembers of a user. For example, conventional pillows tend to havesubstantially conical corners tapering to a very small point. Thesecorners have been found to present two problems when used with thegranular fill material 28.

One problem is simply the volume. Such corners contain about one thirdthe volume or less compared to a parallelepiped of equivalent maximumdimensions. Accordingly, much less fill material is contained. With thecorner holding so little volume of an equivalent rectangular shape, anyloss of the fill material 28 near a bodily member of the user cannot bereadily refilled from the corners nearby.

Also, the corners tend to interfere with the shoulders of a user. Thatis, in a sleeping position, the shoulders are near the head, with theneck connecting. In order to obtain effective placement of the pillow 10supporting the neck from the shoulders to the head, the corners of thepillow 10 typically interfere with the shoulders of a user. This causesthe shoulders to push against the corners of a conventional pillow,either moving it away or removing or compressing much of the fill 28that would otherwise be in the corners. Inasmuch as the corners come topoints, any impact on the corner may typically dramatically influencethe amount of fill near the corner.

By contrast, in a pillow in accordance with the invention, the frame 12or wall 12 contains a large amount of fill near the corners of therectangular, or substantially rectangular, top 14 and bottom 16. Thisprovides space for displaced fill material 28 to move, upon impingementby a shoulder of a user. Thus, the extensive height of the frame 12provides place for displacement of the fill material 28. Accordingly,the fill material need not leave nor flow away from a bodily member ofthe user, but may rearrange about the displaced portion of the frame 12.Moreover, the pillow 10 need not be under the shoulders in order to beunder the base of the neck. Neither will residual resilience in thepillow 10 push it longitudinally away from the shoulders, leaving theneck unsupported.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 11, specifically, while likewise continuingto refer generally to FIGS. 1-23, the pillow 10 may be prepared for restby simply grasping one portion of the frame 12. Lifting permits the top14 and bottom 16 to drop vertically therefrom, containing the oppositeportion of the frame 12 therebetween. Inasmuch as the granules of thefill material 28 are in free fall, it is a rather simple matter to shakethe pillow 10, to completely fill the region about the barriers 30 atthe seams 24 between the frame 12, the top 14, and bottom 16.

Referring to FIGS. 12-20, and particularly the embodiment of FIG. 12,the indented regions 50 may be indented by patting, tapping, or bymovement of a bodily member resting on the pillow 10. For example, theindented region 50 a may be formed about the neck of the user. Inaccordance with certain aspects of the invention, the indented region 50a may extend from near the shoulders, to the base of the skull.Accordingly, more support is provided to the lower end of the skull bysupporting the neck. Likewise, the shoulders may indent the wall 12 oneither side of the indented region 50, thus permitting the indentedregion 50 a to support the entire extent of the neck.

Meanwhile, the region 50 b may extend as a fan shape, particularly asthe skull or cranium may move from side to side during natural sleep, orprior to sleep. Accordingly, the indented region 50 b may actuallyextend down 44 below the region 50 a supporting the neck. If desired bya user, the region 50 b may be slightly higher.

However, the back of the skull actually extends behind the neck, orunder the neck in a sleeping configuration. By contrast to an incline orsitting position, wherein the head may be canted forward in sleep, thehead will lie back, the neck requiring support by the indented region 50a. Supporting the neck will require support at a location that willtypically be higher than that of the back of the skull in the indentedregion 50 b.

Meanwhile, the regions 52 a, 52 b are filled regions containing asubstantial amount of the fill material 28 by virtue of the largecross-sectional areas and resulting large volumes. Accordingly, theregions 52 a, 52 b resist evacuation, or further evacuation, of theindented region 50 a by receiving amounts of the fill material 28 pushedaway from the indented region 50 a, but then returning it if opportunityprovides.

The substantial volumes in the regions 52 a, 52 b thus can compensateagainst excessive migration of fill material, with resulting resistanceto further flatting of the pillow 10 during sleep. This has been foundto be a substantial benefit over prior solutions, even those that relyon granular fill materials.

For example, certain devices may attempt to restrict fill by closingdown portions of the proposed apparatus in order to limit the escape offill materials. Nevertheless, such embodiments suffer from hardness,discomfort, and still lose fill from thin conical corner portions havingsuch substantially reduced volume. Compared to the present invention,such concepts also suffer from the fact that the corners are at a lowpoint, and are not positioned above an indentation 50 a 44, to drop filldownward back into the areas around the bodily member to providesupport.

Moreover, it has been found that the movement of the head of a user in atwisting or rotational motion about the axis of the neck, or in swingingside-to-side on the shoulders tends to migrate fill material 28 from theindented regions 50 b, 50 c back into the regions 52 a, 52 b. Thus, byhaving the volumetric capacity to receive the fill material 28 into theregions 52 a, 52 b, a pillow 10 in accordance with the inventionmaintains the desired distribution of fill desirable to support thecomfort of a user.

The partially filled region 54 may include some material driven into theregion 54 by manipulation of the pillow 10 by a user. Tapping, patting,punching, or otherwise dislodging the granular fill material 28 withinthe pillow 10, a user may provide any desired amount of fill, in theregion 54. The amount of fill may vary from total evacuation to asubstantial fill amount.

It has been found effective that the pillow 10 in one embodiment have awall 12 or frame 12 that extends approximately one to six inches, andtypically about four inches between the structural seams 24. Meanwhile,a width of from 8 to about 18 inches and typically about 15 inches, witha length of from about 12 to about 30 inches (typically about 18 inches)provides suitable expanse for the normal motion of sleep. Meanwhile,filling about half such a volume in fill material 28 provides suitableadjustability with a suitable amount of fill for most users.Nevertheless, a user may provide any amount of fill 28 desired byopening the closure 18 and adding the fill material 28 therethrough.

In the embodiment of FIG. 13, the shoulder of a user sleeping on his orher side may form a relief or cavity in the indented area 50 d, whilethe neck, immediately proximate the shoulder, may rest on the indentedarea 50 e. Ultimately, as the head connects to the neck near theindented region 50 f, the level of the fill material 28 may decrease inaccordance with the additional width of the skull as compare to that ofthe neck.

Likewise, the region 50 g may be at a level commensurate with that ofthe region 50 f, supporting the maximum width of the skull. Accordingly,in certain embodiments, the region 50 g may be substantially lower thanthe indented region 50 e with the region 50 f supporting the cheek, jaw,or other portions of the head of a user, having less dimensional widththan the widest part of the skull resting on the area 50 g.

Meanwhile, the corner regions 52 c, 52 d provide the large volume ofmaterial 28 maintained from the initial fill and from displacement ofmaterial out of the regions 50 e, 50 f, 50 g. The fill 28 therein isavailable to support against migration (evacuation) and to refill thoseareas if opportunity affords. Thus, the motion of the head of a userabout the regions 50 f, 50 g tends to roll or push a certain amount ofthe granular fill material 28 back into the corners 52 c, 52 d, thusmaintaining the surrounding support for the regions 50 e, 50 f, 50 g.

Moreover, in the illustrated embodiment, a side-sleeping person may findthe additional benefit of the regions 52 c, 52 d as the head may bemoved from a direct extension from the shoulders, to a forwardinclination or backward inclination with respect to the shoulders. Inresponse to pressure and repeated movement the fill material 28 mayprovide additional impressions to support, yet relieve pressure on thehead and neck of a user, by providing spatial displacement.

Another benefit of the embodiment of FIGS. 12-13 is the relief affordedwith the user of a CPAP mask. A user has but to move back and forth,displacing fill 28 to provide relief for such a mask. Such movement, byjostling the fill material 28, provides a redistribution thereof formingrelief, an indentation 50 or pocket 50, for the mask to occupy. Upondisplacement, the fill material 28 lacks the ability to provide theconstant, resilient, spring-like pressure back that would exist in aconventional pillow.

For example, in a conventional pillow, the materials operate accordingto the typical spring constant equation, or Hooke's law, wherein forceis equal to displacement times a constant. In a conventional pillow,displacement controlling the force is extremely important. It oftencauses pressure points because due to mismatched surface areas,discontinuities in matching the human profile supported, and pre-loadingforces applied before certain areas of the pillow have deflected tocontact and support the corresponding portion of a bodily member.

For example, if a comparatively thin region or small thickness exists,as it does near the edge of a conventional pillow, then the total forceobtainable is a correspondingly small function reflecting thedisplacement thereof. Meanwhile, near the center of the pillow where thebulk of the material exists, displacement through a particular distancereaches a much higher maximum value. Thus, the shoulders and neck of auser are found comparatively unsupported.

For instance, because the displacement required by the head indisplacing the fill material of the center of a pillow translatesthrough a great distance. The resisting force becomes very much higherdue to the greater displacement of the larger thickness of the center ofthe pillow. Also, the force increases with the additional displacementthat the projecting back of the head demands in order to have a hollowshape in which to rest. Near the edge, by contrast, the neck of a useris often virtually completely unsupported.

Thus, in an apparatus 10 or pillow 10 in accordance with the invention,displacement may take place independent from the spring constant of thefill 28, and without changing the spring constant or creating a bias orpre-load on a user. Meanwhile, once the fill material 28 has beenstabilized, then its natural spring constant or resilience can act toprovide a distributed pressure or force to support at all desiredlocations. Each area receives approximately the same effective springconstant and available displacement. Therefore, each has about the samepressure presented to the bodily member of a user. By contrast,conventional pillows cause a lack of support for the neck near the edgeand an uncomfortable pre-load lifting the head of a user at anuncomfortable angle at the center of the pillow.

Referring to FIG. 13, then, a shoulder of a user impinging on the region50 d or the indented region 50 d provides additional advantages. Unlikea conventional pillow, the fill material may be adjusted to be thickestinstead of thinnest nearest the edge of the pillow. Meanwhile, theamount of material is completely selectable anywhere, removing the force“pre-load” otherwise typical near the center of a conventional pillow.

Accordingly, the neck and shoulders of a user are exposed to their owncustomized profiles, providing the thickness and pressure needed. Theyare not abandoned to a lack of support from the least displacement andpressure possible as in most pillows. Since force or pressure isdirectly proportional to the amount of the displacement of any Hookianfill material, then the shape of the back of the skull or the side ofthe skull, compresses an area that presents no pre-load. Each area isfilled to a greater extent, or lesser extent as needed, and thereafterprovides support.

Therefore, the net force or pressure on the head is substantially nogreater nor less than that on the neck weight of a member beingdistributed over its profile, and all remain properly supported. Theindented regions 50 provide a particular uncoupling of the initialdisplacement from subsequent supporting pressure.

When considering displacement of a pillow, the head of a user is wider,typically, than the neck. When lying on one's back, the depression in aconventional pillow, caused by the skull, is substantially greater thanthe deflection caused by the neck. As the portion of the pillow near theedge is particularly thin, the total displacement under the neck isconsiderably less than that near the thicker central portion of thepillow, where lies the head. Not only does the head profile need to beat a greater distance (perpendicular to the neck), but must displacefill to that extent at the thickest part of the pillow. The neck restsat the edge on much less material. Thus, the resulting pressure on thehead is substantially greater than that provided on the neck, if contactis made at all. Thus, it is not uncommon for a sleeping user to obtainsubstantially no effective neck support.

By contrast, in a pillow 10 in accordance with the invention, thesupporting force due to the resilience of the fill material 28 isuncoupled from the initial displacement. Rather than the entiredisplacement being a compressed, resisted, spring-loaded displacement,the initial displacement remains free of residual force. Therefore, thenet pressure on the neck, face, skull and so forth of a user is a resultonly of compression by virtue of the weight of the bodily membersupported. Its displacement provides the only elastic deflection of thefill material 28. Thus, the pre-load or biasing pressure that wouldotherwise exist is uncoupled, and is not present.

Accordingly, whether sleeping on the back, as in the configuration ofFIG. 12, or sleeping on the side, in the configuration of FIG. 13, everybodily member from the shoulder, to the lower neck, to the central andupper neck, to the face, to the skull may all be nested into the pillow10, to create an initial displacement having minimal residual or biasforce. In fact, the residual force due to initial displacement of thefill material 28 should be substantially zero,

Likewise, displacement may occur in any direction. For example, if therelief 50 d or the indented region 50 d of FIG. 13 were made in anyconventional pillow, then the resulting force due to the spring-likeforces of the fill material would tend to displace the pillow away fromthe shoulder of a user. That is, all displacements thereof result inresidual forces.

By contrast, the indented region 50 d may be formed, leavingsubstantially no residual force, and therefore leaving the pillow 10properly located, and permanently located as desired by a user. Thus, abodily member need not be exposed to any substantial biasing force orpressure in order to maintain its desired position. Likewise, nolocalization of residual force exists by virtue of maintaining positionagainst such a bias force. Support exists only in response to the weightof a bodily member fitted and supported by the fill material 28 in thepillow 10. An increase in localized pressure will result in shiftingfill material 28 away therefrom, once some threshold is reached todisengage the flutes of the fill material 28.

Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15, the top plain views of the configurationsof FIGS. 12 and 13, respectively are marked with numbers 1-5 as well aswith letters A-E. Thus, these plain views identify location of certaincross sections that will be taken. In FIG. 16, the end view crosssections at sections 1-1 through section 5-5 are illustrated. Similarly,in FIG. 17, the end cross sectional views of the embodiment orconfiguration of FIG. 13, as illustrated in a plain view in FIG. 15 areillustrated. Similarly, FIG. 18 illustrates the end cross sectionalviews of the pillow 10 when configured for a stomach-sleeping mode.

FIG. 19 illustrates the embodiment or configuration of FIG. 13 from aside elevation cross section taken at sections A-A up through sectionsE-E. Similarly, FIG. 20 shows the side cross sectional views of sectionsA-A through sections E-E in the back-sleeping configuration of FIGS. 12and 14.

As can be seen, the pillow 10 in accordance with the invention hasseveral advantages. By providing the large regions 52 a, 52 b acting asreservoirs of the granular fill material 28, the stability of theindented regions 50 may be maintained. Meanwhile, any migration out ofthe regions 50 will tend to replace a certain amount of the material inthe regions 52 a, 52 b.

Similarly, any opportunity to move material out of the regions 52 a, 52b will result in a downhill movement of the fill material 28 typicallyto one of the other indented regions 50, all of which begin at a lowerelevation. Thus, the pillow 10 tends to be substantially more stablethan prior solutions, even those that may rely on granular fill.

One may note that in the embodiments of FIGS. 12 and 13, the head of auser may move in an arc anchored by the neck at the shoulders.Accordingly, the broad indented expanses 50 c and 50 g may tend toactually drive fill material back towards the regions 52 a, 52 b and 52c, 52 d when motion results in net movement of the fill material out ofthe regions 50 c, 50 g, respectively. Thus, bodily motion and thereadjustment or tossing that an individual may do in sleep tends ratherto maintain the shape of the sleeping surfaces or indented regions 50,rather than destroying them.

The locations of the corner areas 52 a, 52 b, 52 c, 52 d tending to pickup the sweep of the fan shaped regions 50 c, 50 g, respectively, tend tomaintain, rather than deplete the large regions 52. By the same token,the very volume capacity of the regions 52 tends to minimize anydepletion of a particular indented area 50 by providing an overwhelmingvolume of the fill material 28, and that at a higher elevation, whichcan be flowed downward with additional motion or movement by a bodilymember on the pillow 10.

Referring to FIG. 21, in one embodiment of an apparatus 10 and system inaccordance with the invention, an additional pillow may be provided.This pillow 58 may provide particular augmentation. The spine of a humanis not distributed along a straight line. Just as the neck requiressupport, in order to maintain its shape with respect to the shouldersand skull, the lumbar region of the back may need additional support inorder to maintain its curvature with respect to the trunk and torso of auser.

In one embodiment, of a method and apparatus in accordance with theinvention, a lumbar pillow may be place under the lower back of a userin order to provide the proper curvature of the spine. By containing asimilar material 20 filled partially by a fill material 28 as with thehead pillow 10, a lumbar pillow 58 may provide for further properalignment of a spine of a user.

In the illustrated embodiment, the lumbar pillow 58 may be configured toprimarily support a vertical load, or a load acting in a verticaldirection 44. Accordingly, a user may nestle against the lumbar pillow58 in order to provide displacement or relief locations 50, pocketsreduced in, or devoid of, fill material 28 to accommodate the particularshape of a user's back.

The particular size, as well as the vertical walls of the lumber pillow58 may provide a certain containment, in order to restrict the net flowof the fill material 28 to behave substantially like a thixotropic(i.e., no movement in response to less than a threshold force) orsimilar material. That is, the fill material 28 can flow, but itscontainment within the overall outer container limits its ability toleave. Accordingly, the net amount of the material will tend todistribute itself within the walls, much as a liquid would configureitself, as if the user were sleeping on a liquid filled lumbar pillow58. However, since the uncoupling of the initial displacement from thenet supporting displacement exists in this lumbar pillow 58, asubstantially even pressure may exist, while still providing asubstantial vertical pressure support at a substantially equal valuethroughout.

Referring to FIG. 22, a method 60 in accordance with the invention orsystem 60 may involve providing 62 a shell, as well as a fill material58. The shell may include a frame 12 sewn to a top 14 and a bottom 16.Accordingly, some amount of discretized, self-engaging granules of afill material 28, such as buckwheat hulls may be provided 62 along withinstructions to a user.

Thereafter, the user may determine 64 a fill fraction. For example, anindividual may determine the amount of fill desired. Thereupon, the usermay fill 66 the pillow 10 with the desired amount of fill material 28.This process of filling 66 may be repeated several times as a user triesinitially to find a suitable amount. Filling 66 may involve opening theclosure device 18, pouring in a quantity of the granular fill material28, sealing the closure 18 and then laying the pillow 10 flat on asupporting surface.

A user may next determine 68 a sleep position. Different people usepillows for different purposes. Some individuals may wish to support thehead and neck in a back-sleeping position. Others may wish to supportthe head and neck away from the shoulders in a side-sleeping position.Still others, may desire to support the shoulders in order to permit thehead and face to extend downward, in a stomach-sleeping position.

Yet others may desire to support a leg, foot, arm, or the like in anelevated position. Similarly, others may choose to support a leg or kneein a side sleeping position, against the impingement of another bodilymember.

For example, mattresses do not always provide the desired displacements.Following various injuries or surgeries, support may be required for aparticular bodily member such as an arm or leg. Likewise, an expectantmother may desire to provide stomach support in a side-sleepingposition. Accordingly, a user may determine 68 a desired sleepingposition.

A user may migrate 70 the fill in order to provide a filled locationsuitable for forming certain regions 50 having indentations ordepressions to receive a bodily member, with support on all sides. Oneof the benefits of an apparatus 10 in accordance with the invention isthat support may effectively cover 180° of a curved surface of a bodilymember.

For example, sleeping with the head on a wooden block provides supportonly at the area of contact, which would be theoretically, a point. Forexample, if a steel ball were resting on a steel surface, the contactarea is minuscule. Of course, bodily tissues will deform to a certainextent. Thus, a user having a wooden block under the head would have asomewhat greater surface area of support than would a steel ball on asteel block. Nevertheless, the force concentration caused by the weightof the head on such a small area may cause local discomfort. Also such a“point load” may cause leverage, adding general discomfort, for a lackof support of the neck.

By contrast, an apparatus 10 in accordance with the invention providesthe ability to wrap around or surround the entire lower surface of amember. Typically this will be at least in a region of from about 45° toabout 180° of total envelopment support for the underside of a bodilymember. Thus, the neck is not supported merely in the center, but fromside to side thereon. Moreover, the entire neck, or head, or shoulders,etc. will be supported with substantially the same pressure, or forceper unit area dependent only on its applied weight. This support forceor pressure is provided without a disparity in the distribution thereof.

For example, from side to side, and longitudinally along the neck of auser, the pressure of a conventional pillow of any fill type may notsupport the entire, longitudinal, nor lateral, two-dimensional profile,as does a pillow in accordance with the invention. Moreover, where fillis an elongate material, rather than a granular, movable, flowablematerial, the pressure applied to a bodily member will be uneven,causing high pressure locations or “pressure points” of discomfort

By contrast, an apparatus in accordance with the invention may providesupport all the way across from side-to-side of, and longitudinallyalong, the neck and head of a user.

In order to migrate 70 the fill material 28, a user may lift the pillow10, typically grasping a portion of the frame 12, and permitting thefill material 28 to free fall to the opposite extreme of the frame 12 orwall 12 of the pillow 10. A user may then tilt the pillow 10 to oneside, and lay the bottom 16 on a supporting surface, such as a bed.

A user may then permit the mutually engaging material 28 to flowsomewhat downward. A user may then tap it, poke it, pat it, punch it, orotherwise move it further by applying forces vertically 42, 44 or in anyother direction, such as laterally 46, in order to disengage and movethe fill material 28 to a distribution desired. In certain embodiments,a user may simply tap with a finger or hand, including an edge or a palmof hand, in order to create desirable indented regions 50. Ultimately, auser may push, pat, poke, shake, or otherwise migrate 70 any desiredamount of the fill 28 to a location where desired.

Typically, comparatively massive migrations of the fill material 28 maybe imposed by simply grabbing any portion of the pillow, shaking it.Permitting the fill material 28 to free fall to an opposite portion ofthe pillow 10, thus forms a large bulge region of maximum thickness.That bulge region may then be modified by a user according to a desiredshape for sleeping.

A user may next locate 72 the pillow 10 according to the desired use.For example, the user may choose to locate 72 the pillow 10 close to theshoulders, under the neck, under the face, under the back of the skull,or the like.

Likewise, a user may orient 74 the pillow in accordance with the bodylocation. For example, a user may desire to support the side of thestomach for an expectant mother. The pillow 10 may be positionedaccording to the shape and orientation of the body. Likewise, anindividual may choose to orient 74 the pillow 10 in accordance withsleeping position, body part to be supported, or the like. For example,a pillow 10 may be oriented to support the back, the lumbar region, ashoulder, a stomach, head, neck, or face for stomach-sleepers,back-sleepers, side-sleepers, and so forth.

A user may adjust 76 the fill in order to match the impression (e.g.profile) desired for a body part or a therapeutic device. For example, aCPAP mask is worn as an extension of the head and face. Accordingly,adjusting the fill material 28 may involve pushing, punching, patting,and otherwise exerting force to move fill 28 in a particular direction.Such may be a strike, a lifting, shaking, or the like whether light orvigorous. Adjusting 76 is similar to migrating 70. Nevertheless,migrating 70 may be thought as of the macro movement of the fillmaterial by substantial free fall down into the particular location fromwhich it may thereafter be adjusted 76 to fit the particular body part.Adjusting 76 involves not free falling of fill but overcominginteractions between granules flutes to move them laterally away from anarea.

Ultimately, a user will position 78 the body, or a body part and thennest 80 by moving until comfort is maximized. For example, an individualmay rock the head back and forth, may crane the neck forward andbackward, or the like in order to form a nest of fill material 28. Thisprovides a complete support profile in the fill material 28 under andsupporting the profile of the body parts supported.

Accordingly, vertical, horizontal, whether lateral or transverse, orother pushes, strikes, shaking, rocking, or the like may be used to nest80, typically by movement of the supported body part itself. Thus,rocking the head from side-to-side, sliding the head from side-to-sidewhile pivoting on the neck, shrugging the shoulders, pushing the pillowinto the shoulders, and the like may be used to create the indentedregions 50 about the perimeter and on the top 14, as required.

It has been found, that a user may rest 82 with little or no need tofurther adjust 76 the pillow 10. Extended periods of rest 82 may occurby virtue of the uniformity of the support pressure. The spring-likeresilience of the fill material 28 is effectively captured withinvarious indented regions 50 on the pillow. If an individual desires tochange position, a decision 84 to change may be thought of as anindividual's sleeping decision. Upon changing 84 substantially theposition of the user or the pillow, rest 82 may continue.

On the other hand, if the position is changed, then a yes response tothe decision 84 may result in further decisions, such as incrementing86. For example, if movement is simply an incremental movement, then adecision 86 results in a yes involving repositioning 78 the body or bodymember.

Likewise, if the position represents a substantial variation in thelocations or shapes of the indented regions 50, then a decision 88 maydetermine whether to modify, such as adding, subtracting, or moving anyparticular support. A yes response to the decision 88 may result inadditional adjusting 76 of the fill 28. Similarly, a no decision maystill present the decision 90 as far as larger bodily movement.

If the body moves, and thus is reoriented 74, then an individual mayre-enter the process 60 by orienting 74 the body or body member. Anegative response to the decision 90 may present the optional decision92 to change which member of the body or mode of use is employed.

For example, an individual may move from supporting a calf of a leg to aknee, to an ankle, or the like. Similarly, an individual may move fromsupporting the neck and head in back-sleeping mode, to supporting theshoulders, in a stomach-sleeping mode. Thus, a yes response to thedecision 92 of changing the mode may result in locating 72 the pillow 10anew.

Likewise, a negative decision 92 or a negative response to the decision92 may still present a user with the decision to make a major change tothe structure of the pillow in the decision 94. For example, a majordecision 94 may be the decision to change the amount of fill material 29in the pillow 10. Changing the fill fraction may result in returning tothe determining step 64 in which a user may add or subtract material 28from within the pillow 90.

Referring to FIG. 23, in one embodiment, a fill material 28 may includea buckwheat hulls. Buckwheat hulls have certain benefits of granularity,and certain benefits of mutual engagement. For example, in theillustrated embodiment, a hull 100 typically involves a core 102 withflutes 104 extending therefrom. In response to a force 108, the flutes104 may deflect. Each has a certain resilience, much like a wooden beamor thin wooden prong on a leaf rake might bend upon being flexed.

In response to a comparatively greater force 106 applied by a user, ahull may move. Nevertheless, the flutes 104 of one hull 100 may engagethe flutes 104 of another hull 100. Accordingly, a certain resistance tothe force 106 maintains a certain degree of stability. Nevertheless,force 108 or weight 108, typically presented by a hand, or other bodilymember of a user may also tend to elicit a spring-like response from thehulls 100 therebelow.

In the illustrated embodiment the hulls may be shaken free such thatthey free-fall as described with respect to FIG. 11. Nevertheless, oncesettled, as described with respect to FIG. 22, the fill, having migrated70 to one side of the pillow, may later then be adjusted 76 inaccordance with lifting in a vertical direction 42, or pushing down in avertical direction 44.

Similarly, a user may push in a lateral direction 46 or transversedirection 45 in order to move the fill. Typically, a transverse orlongitudinal direction 45 with respect to a user may be imposed by ashoulder abutting against the wall 12 or the frame 12 of a pillow 10.Similarly, the weight 108 of a head or neck of a user may result in aforce tending to compact and engage the hulls 100 with another, with theflutes 104 acting as springs.

Thus, in general, a lifting motion or a force in a horizontal direction,in the absence of weight 108 above, or a sufficient force compressingdown the hulls 100 may result in easy movement. By contrast, compressiveloads, particularly when hulls 100 are supported from the sides, such asin the areas 52 a, 52 b, or the areas 52, in general may provide astability and resistance to shifting of the hulls 100 out from under abodily member of a user.

Thus, in one embodiment of an apparatus and method in accordance withthe invention, buckwheat hulls 100 have been found to be very effectivein that they permit the uncoupling of the spring response of the hulls100 and their flutes 104 from the distribution and thicknessdeterminations. As compared with conventional pillows and other priorart devices, where this uncoupling is not available, the pre-load ofadjustment is uncoupled from support pressure being imposed on a bodilymember.

In contrast to convention, once the pillow 10 has uncoupled, theseforces the downward weight of a user 108 on the hulls 100 may result ina reduced, more distributed, spring-like resistance by deflection of theflutes 104. This provides considerable support, and may profile the fullsupport area of a body part. This comes at a substantially uniformpressure, uniform spring constant, and beginning at a substantially zerovalue of force prior to weighting by the weight 108 of a bodily memberof a user.

Meanwhile, lifting or any type of lateral 46 or longitudinal 45 force onthe hulls 100 results in a response similar to that of a liquid. This isa flowing of the granular material, having no weight 108 to forceengagement. As quicksand floats above an underground spring, the hulls100 float above the force imposed by hand below or beside, not counteredby any weight 108. Later, weight substantially above it and pressingdown engages the flutes 104 with each other.

In certain embodiments, an apparatus in accordance with the inventionmay include buckwheat hulls captured within a side panel 12 of a pillow10. The side panel 12 may be pre-quilted in order to provide asubstantially semi-rigid material at least with respect to its ownweight. That is, the material 20 has the ability to be folded, bent, andthe like, but is nevertheless substantially self-supporting and thusable to maintain a shape.

Moreover, the material is quilted in order to provide silencing of soundfrom the movement of the hulls within the pillow 10 as well as providingisolation decoupling of the path of mechanical connection. Thatconnection would otherwise tend to cause the material 20 of the pillow10 to become a speaker. Transmitting mechanically the vibrations andmotion of the fill material 28 inside is thus inhibited. Thus, thequilting dampens noise and uncouples, by virtue of distance, andmechanical disconnection, the generation of sound from the hulls. Italso limits the generation of sound by motion of fill 28 against thematerial 20.

Surface softness may provide a pillowing, but also a bridging betweenthe texture of individual hulls 100 with their flutes 104 extendingtherefrom. Accordingly, the quilting provides mechanical bridgingbetween the hulls, thus eliminating or greatly reducing the texturing ofthe surface of the material 20, that may otherwise literally scrape,abrade, and damage the skin of a user resting there against. Forexample, the quilted material 20 removes localized extension of the hullflutes 104 from poking the fabric 20 outward and giving a sharp abrasivetexture to the material 20 on the outside of the pillow 10.

In certain embodiments, the material of the fill 28 may include plasticgranules or natural materials, such as buckwheat hulls which are light,having engagement between flutes 104 thereof, and providing a muchlighter spring force or a much lower spring force for a particulardisplacement then would beads, beans, grains, or other smooth particles.That is, the hulls 100 themselves, even in their core 102 each have acertain amount of displacement available as a spring constant. Thehulls' flutes 104 also provide, by bending and otherwise deflecting,additional spring-like displacement or deflection providing additionalcomfort.

In the illustrated embodiments, it has been found that the pillow 10 inaccordance with the invention dissipates heat and moisture by providingsubstantial area between the fill granules 28 for passing moisture, air,and the like. Meanwhile, the fill material 28 itself is non-absorbent.

When compared with cervical pillows, such as are used for neck support,the provision of uniform support is typically only accomplished in theprior art by particularly complicated combinations of shapes, resilienceof spring constants, and the like. All of the foregoing becomes of onlylimited use, inasmuch as a change in position by a user may load theneck, head, or shoulders from a completely different angle for which theespecially cervical pillow or CPAP pillow may be inadequate.

By contrast, the pillow 10 in accordance with the instant invention maybe readjusted at any time, by a slight adjustment 76 of the fillmaterial 28 according to the desires of a user. Fill may be pushed intoa particular location, and immediately nestled into by a body of a userby a few lateral motions, taps, pats, or the like.

Accordingly, a pillow 10 in accordance with the invention is a pillowadapted to support substantially all sleeping positions, and to anyparticular body part. Thus, the shape is not required to be permanentlyconfigured to the exclusion of alternative sleeping positions by a user.Prior art pillows are not well adapted to back sleeping, and typically,contain inadequate fill support in the corner regions 52 that are wellfilled. They do not and provide a non-pressurized reservoir of fillmaterials, maintaining the indented regions 50 as desired and adjustedby a user.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or essential characteristics. The describedembodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative,and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicatedby the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description. Allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are to be embraced within their scope.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States LettersPatent is:
 1. A pillow formed as a shell containing fill, the shellformed to create a single (one and only one) contiguous cavity, thepillow comprising: a top and a bottom, defining a longitudinal directioncorresponding to a height of a user, a lateral direction correspondingto left and right with respect to a user, and a transverse direction,all mutually orthogonal to each other, wherein the top is substantiallycontiguous and capable of contacting the head and neck of a user fromcrown to shoulder, and the bottom is capable of lying flat against asleeping surface; a wall connecting the top and bottom by extending inthe transverse direction; fill, as the exclusive material containedwithin the cavity, in a quantity insufficient to fill the shell, in aquantity insufficient to restore the shape of the top after use, andconstituting exclusively particles, the particles shaped to resistrelative motion between one another, but to permit permanentdisplacement thereof in the pillow only upon application of one of athreshold level of shear force thereto or freefall of the granules awayfrom one another.
 2. The pillow of claim 1, wherein the top is capableof forming a support region in the fill in response to directingmovement of a bodily member of the user applied to the top, the supportregion displacing substantially all the fill between the top and bottomin a region direction under a portion of a bodily member closest to thesleeping surface in use.
 3. The pillow of claim 2, wherein the top isshaped to form a rectangle, the fill retreating into a first retreatregion proximate a corner of the rectangle in response to displacementthereof away from a central portion of the top by resting of a bodilymember of a user on the central portion.
 4. The pillow of claim 3,wherein the top is flexible and the fill is mobile, sufficiently toconform to and support a user contiguously along a profile formed by thehead and neck of a user on a sleeping surface, the method comprising: 5.The pillow of claim 4, wherein the top, bottom, and wall are shaped toprovide a second retreat region containing a portion of the fillextending at least a height of the wall extending between the top andbottom.
 6. The pillow of claim 5, wherein the fill is capable ofpermanent displacement under the top to form a relief region, betweenthe first and second retreat regions, the relief region supporting thehead and neck of the user continuously and contiguously to the shouldersof the user at the wall.
 7. The pillow of claim 5 wherein the top,bottom, wall, and fill exclusively provide the support for the head andneck of the user on the sleeping surface.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the top, bottom, wall, and fill, exclusively, provide continuoussupport of the head and neck of a user along a profile thereof extendingin a longitudinal direction from the base of the neck at the shouldersto above the rearmost portion of the skull of the user.
 9. The apparatusof claim 8, wherein the amount of the fill is capable of selection andintroduction into the shell by the user.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9,wherein the fill is capable of being subdivided, down to individualparticles thereof, by the user.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, whereinthe fill is capable of selectively migrating within the shell to anylocation in the shell by manipulation of the shell by the user.
 12. Theapparatus of claim 11, wherein substantially every one of the particlesis capable of migrating to substantially any location in the cavity bythe manipulation.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein substantiallyall of the fill is capable of migrating by free-falling within thecavity in response to the manipulation by the user.
 14. The apparatus ofclaim 13, wherein the fill and shell are capable of re-shapingthemselves in response to suspension by a user of the pillow by one ormore locations on one or more of the top, the bottom, or the wall. 15.The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the fill is capable of re-shapingitself into distinct and separated portions in response to thesuspension.
 16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fill is capable ofpermanent displacement within the shell in response to motion of a CPAPmask on a user.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the fill iscapable of maintaining substantially the shape formed therein by theCPAP mask upon removal of the mask from contact with the top.
 18. Theapparatus of claim 17, wherein the fill is capable of forming anapparatus relief region by permanently displacing longitudinally,laterally, and transversely in response to application of force by theCPAP mask against the top.
 19. A method comprising: providing a shellsurrounding and defining a single (one and only one) cavity containing afill, the exclusive content of which is made up exclusively of particlescapable of permanently displacing to profile and support the head andneck of a user continuously and contiguously by the shell in at leastthree dimensions; the providing a shell, wherein the shell has a top anda bottom, connected by a wall, wherein the top and bottom are capable ofcontact with one another when the bottom is lying conformal with andupon a sleeping surface and the top is in contact conformal with andunder a lowest point of the head of the user; selecting and introducinginto the shell, by the user, the particles in a quantity insufficient tofill the cavity; migrating the particles by manipulation of the shell;positioning on and conforming to a sleeping surface, by the shell inresponse to placement thereon by the user; re-migrating the particles tosupport and conform to the head and neck of the user by placing the headand neck on the top; wherein the particles remain substantially in theirre-migrated position upon the user rising from repose thereon.
 20. Anapparatus comprising: a shell, comprising a top, a bottom, and a wall,the top and bottom forming substantially a rectangular shape; the shell,defining and forming a cavity as a single and solitary space enclosedthereby; a fill formed of particles constituting the exclusive contentsof the cavity, the particles being capable of moving individually andindependently into and about any location in the cavity; the fillselected and introduced into the cavity in a quantity effective toprovide slack in the top of the shell rendering the shell capable ofconforming continuously along the full extent of a profile of a head,neck, and CPAP mask of a user from shoulder to crown, and to remain inthat conforming configuration upon the user arising from restingthereon.